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Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Chronicles: The Library of Illumination by C.A. PackYA FantasyPublished: 29th April 2014Within the walls of a centuries-old building lies the magical Library of Illumination, a place where books literally come to life. 17-year-old Johanna Charette is the youngest curator ever chosen to oversee the day-to-day operation of the library and she knows, in case of trouble, having an assistant can be invaluable, so she hires 16-year-old Jackson Roth to give her a hand. Jackson gets off to a rocky start, but manages to prove his mettle. Besides, he’s kind of cute and a lot of fun.Johanna is charming and brilliant—and a natural born leader. She keeps the library operating on an even keel. Jackson is clever and intrepid. He relies on his wits to keep them out of danger when trouble arises. Unfortunately, his derring-do is one of the reasons why they sometimes find themselves in awkward situations. So it shouldn’t be any surprise when his wanton curiosity sparks a journey to a distant realm, where they end up with front row seats in a battle against an ancient foe.

Excerpt“What’s this? Jackson asked, picking up a book that sat by itself on a bottom shelf. A thick layer of dust obscured the cover. “Did you leave this book down here?”“What book?”He opened the book to a random page to see what it was about. Dracula suddenly loomed over him, blood dripping from his mouth. “Uhhh ...!” Jackson’s scream did not get past his throat.Dracula moved in for the kill. The teen managed to slam the book shut just as the vampire’s teeth made contact with his skin.“What are you doing?” Johanna poked her head around the corner of the shelf and spotted the blood on Jackson’s neck. She looked down and recognized the volume of Dracula by Bram Stoker and winced. “We must have missed that one. Are you all right?”Jackson swiped at his neck.“Come with me.” Johanna led him to the circulation desk. She took out a first-aid kit and cleaned away the blood with an antiseptic wipe.“Am I ...?”“It’s just a surface wound.” She wrapped the bloody wipe in a tissue and threw it in the wastebasket. “You’re going to live ... but not forever.”Jackson sighed with relief. “You know, when my mother used to patch me up, she would kiss it to make it better.” He raised his eyebrows and grinned at her.“If you got hurt working for Larry at Once A-Pawn A Time, would you ask him to kiss it to make it better?”“You really know how to hurt me.”Johanna laughed. She leaned in and lightly kissed Jackson’s neck.He could feel the hairs along his nape tingle.“All better?” she asked.

Author Bio - Carol PackC. A. PACK, author of Code Name: Evangeline, Evangeline’s Ghost, and the Library of Illumination novelettes, is an award-winning journalist and former television news anchor/writer from Long Island, New York.

There's currently a GIVEAWAY over on my Facebook page (Pieces of Whimsy) to win a copy of My Not So Super Sweet Life(MSSSC #1) by Rachel Harris. The giveaway is running for another 17 hours and as I'm writing this only 1 person has entered so there are great odds! To enter, all you have to do is like, comment, or share the FB post here: https://www.facebook.com/PiecesOfWhimsy/photos/a.360321024063168.89329.338548036240467/610792552349346/?type=1&stream_ref=10Simple!

The giveaway is open to anyone who can receive kindle e-books from Amazon and it is definitely a book you need to get! I have read and absolutely adored the first two books in the series (my 5 whale reviews can be found here #1 & here #2), Rachel Harris is an amazing person and an amazing author and I am just dying for some free time so I can get stuck into this book!*****

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Sunday, 27 April 2014

Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can't exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her younger sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.

A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages. Orenda is the first novel in the Orenda series.

Lil stood firm, sword-in-hand, staring at the beast as it flew directly at her. “How do I kill it?” She raised the sword above her head with two hands.Hudson glanced at her. “With what we taught you. The dragon is no different than a man.”“It has wings and is flying at me. I’d say it’s different!”

Author Bio - Ruth Silver

Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of ABERRANT, a young adult dystopian adventure series published by Patchwork Press and Lazy Day Publishing, in 2013. Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required, because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. Upcoming works include Royal Reaper, a young adult series about grim reapers, due for release June 3rd, 2014. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

How do families become members of the aristocracy? Does the universe choose them? Have you ever wondered what happened to Constantinople? The Hunters and the Queen is a work of fiction in the young adult, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance genres. The story blends elements of romance, darkness, history, fantasy, aristocracy, and reincarnation.

A deep sleep washed over Jolán. She was in such a slumber that she didn’t hear Crispus return home. Jolán didn’t hear the conversations held by her brother, mother, and father; and she didn’t hear them turn in for the night. The dream world had a hold of Jolán, and it wouldn’t let her go.As she dreamed, Jolán saw images of extreme beauty; then, she witnessed pictures of extreme darkness. The darkness was so strong that Jolán began to sweat and turn while she slept in her bed. Her sweat drenched the back of her neck and dampened her hair. Jolán dreamed of beautiful winged men dancing around water fountains while doing arabesques and throwing red, pink, white, and deep blue rose petals into the fountains of rushing clear water. In her dream, Jolán walked over to the fountain, and she picked up a dark blue rose petal and held it in her hand. She watched the winged performers dance around the fountains splashing petals wherever they danced. The sun cast a sunbeam on to her cheeks. She felt a warm breeze blow all around her, and she enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her face. While Jolán held the rose petal in her hand, she smelled the petal and she loved the clean and lightly perfumed aroma it held. As she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, a rather short and round-figured man approached her by the fountain. The man had a pleasant face with a short and neatly trimmed moustache. He scooped up water in his palm, and the water turned a brilliant shade of purple. As Jolán stared at the water in his hand, she watched as the water turned black, and then turned to red, and then to yellow, and then finally the water turned back to a beautiful shade of purple. As the man had his eyes locked on Jolán, he studied her beauty, and he examined her curiosity.When Jolán looked up and met the man’s eyes she asked, “How did you do that?”The man didn’t say anything, but instead he reached behind Jolán’s left ear, and he pulled out a long willow branch with a beautiful white dove perched on its limb.Jolán let out a vibrant laugh and said, “Oh, My! You’re a magician!”The man slightly shook his head, indicating that he was not a magician. Jolán looked at the white dove, and she reached out to pet the bird’s head. The bird allowed Jolán to pet its head, and then the bird started to coo in a subtle manner. Jolán thought she had never pet a bird on its head before.As the man allowed Jolán to continue petting the bird, he looked at her and said, “I am Voipele. I am the spirit of the forest. The Sky World created me to watch over all of the living creatures that dwell within the boundaries of the woods, but I am having a hard time protecting them right now.”Jolán thought to herself “Wow, this is an awesome dream,” but she didn’t say anything to Voipele. Instead, Jolán continued to pet the dove.Voipele continued to say, “The sky world created you too, Jolán. We have the responsibility of protecting the elements and the good spirits on Earth.”Jolán nonchalantly replied, “I have a hard enough time with my own responsibilities, Voipele. I don’t think a sky world would have much use for me.”Jolán turned inward towards Voipele, and she thanked him for allowing her to pet his bird. She then walked away.As Jolán walked by the water fountains, she started to see the fountain water turn brown, and then she watched the water turn to black. The dancing winged performers began to slow down, and then freeze in motion. Once the performers were completely frozen, they solidified into a concrete like substance. The once colorful rose petals were now all gray and dry, and they lacked color and vibrancy.Jolán heard her brother’s voice in the distance, so she immediately began running towards his sound. As she ran, she felt her heart beat; and she heard screams and voices calling her name. Jolán ran faster to get to her brother, but she couldn’t see him, and she couldn’t hear him anymore. All Jolán could hear were the sounds of pain, and the sounds of awful screams.

Author Bio - Virginia Vayna

Virginia Vayna was born in Dayton, Ohio. During 1999, she moved to Long Beach, California, where she lived on a sailboat for three-years. She currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and she is completing a Master of Social Science. She has worked as a policy researcher, a legal writer, and she currently works as a freelance copywriter. Virginia enjoys writing historical fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, mystery, and YA. The Hunters and the Queen is the first book in her Element series.

Friday, 25 April 2014

Protostar (The Star-Crossed Saga #1) by Braxton A. CosbyYAPublished: 16th April 2014What Would You Choose, love or duty?On the brink of civil war, the Torrian Alliance continues with its mission to obliterate Star-children across the universe in order to suppress an intergalactic evil. Following the recommendations of his council, King Gregorio Derry reluctantly agrees to send his only son William on a mission to restore honor to his family name. William seeks to complete his assignment, the elimination of a Star-child named Sydney on planet Earth, but when the assassination is delayed he begins to realize an emotional connection with his target. With conspiracy threatening his home planet, and a hidden menace on Earth seeking to secure a vested interest, William finds himself torn between irrevocable duty and sacrificing everything he stands for to defend Sydney. As William and Sydney struggle to overcome their impossible circumstances, they start to wonder if the connection of two Star-Crossed lovers will be enough to save them from certain doom.

He leaned in close to her ear. “Please Sydney, give me one more chance. The dreams, they are of you. If only I could have understood sooner, I may have been able to change our fate. But now, I know you have the power to change this. You are more than any normal person. You are the one thing I have traveled across distance and time for.”

A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, slipping past the overlying trees. They kissed Sydney’s face. She gasped, and her lifeless body rose from the dead. Sydney swallowed a deep breath and grabbed William’s shoulders. His many tears drained from his face. The infectious warmth returned.

“I knew you’d return to me. Somehow, I knew it,” he whispered.

“I was lost for a moment in nothing but deep dark space. But I heard a voice calling out to me. It was very familiar to me. Someone I had met before. It was a woman’s voice. She told me it was time to go back. She told me I had a calling to do something great and the time of my awakening was at hand.” Sydney wiped the tears from his eyes. “Then I heard you, speaking to me from the darkness. Your voice guided me as I ran forward, until finally I saw a ray of light and I stepped into it.”

He squeezed her and planted his lips on hers. His solar cells erupted, and Sydney became surrounded in a bright aura that lifted them off the ground. He opened his eyes, amazed by what he saw. He planted another kiss, this time on Sydney’s forehead.

“There’s my signature,” he whispered.

They floated back to the ground and Sydney pulled him close.

“Sydney, is there any way you could forgive me for what I’ve done?”

Sydney caressed his face. “What’s done is done. Even through all the pain, something inside me knew that you would save me. Love brought you to me and somehow, I knew love would give you the strength to protect me.”

The present situation invaded his thoughts. “And protect you I will. I must explain everything to you, Sydney. Come with me.”

Author Bio - Braxton A. Cosby

Braxton A. Cosby is a dreamer with a passion for inspiring others to love, in spite of circumstance and convenience. His calling to pen a young-adult series that is smart, witty, and thought provoking, has challenged readers to answer the question: What would you choose, love or irrevocable duty? Braxton lives in Atlanta, GA, where he co-hosts a local radio show on WAOK which is a mash-up of current events and health and wellness. He also has a blog where he discusses everything from health and entertainment to spirituality and relationships.

Thursday, 24 April 2014

Becoming the Chateran (The Chateran #1) by S.J. AislingFantasyPublished: 1st February 2014When Princess Rhea’s actions inadvertently condemn two innocent knights to death, she wakes to the hard reality that not even nobility is above the law. All her attempts to remedy the situation only complicate it, however, until she finds herself a fugitive in her own kingdom, having dragged her best friend into the trouble, as well. Their only hope for pardon? To accompany Sir Paladin and Sir Zephen in their sentence:Slay, or be slain by, the Dragons of Sama-Ael-Fen.Travelling incognito, they meet with more malicious Phoenixes than could be coincidental, discover the mysterious disappearance of numerous citizens, and come face to face with a reawakened evil power. With the kingdom oblivious to the connection of these dangers, it’s up to Rhea and her outlaw companions to stop the rising threat and redeem their names – if they can survive their quest.

Shouting and confusion suddenly rose up from within the castle, and Julen, almost losing his footing once more, scrambled for a better hold on the window bars. He faced into the wind as it shoved him against the tower, the loud cry ringing off the walls of the castle once again, and his jaw dropped. A flashing, red thing was speeding through the air towards the castle. Its enormous wings created the gale that had suddenly burst out, followed by waves of heat. Julen couldn’t move, clinging to the tower in horror as the Dragon swept low over the castle.Valkdrava… the rumors are true, then!All the brown-tinted trees far below shook and creaked, leaves scattering thick on the blast of wind. The power of the Dragon’s wingbeats pushed Julen from his window ledge, and he tumbled down, landing miraculously on the castle wall fifteen feet below. Bursts of light exploded in his view, and he couldn’t breathe, but then larger, fiercer, and redder flashes rent the air above him, and the voice of Vanna crying out his name stirred him. Somehow he found himself on his feet, swaying like a reed in the wind, and yet clutching his drawn hunting knife in his fist. The Valkdrava banked on the sweltering wind of its own creation, sending hay from the stack by the stable, torn pennants, and loosened tiles swirling through the air. Opening its mouth, it sent a stream of fire onto the wooden structures inside the bailey. The terrified shrieks and cries of the horses and other livestock in the buildings filled the air, and the shouting and screams of people joined the din as the Dragon swooped down again and again, each time sending fire into yet another spot within the castle. Within moments, Julen found himself surrounded by flames on the walls, with no way of getting down into the bailey and helping.A troop of guards and soldiers burst from the armory and raced towards the Dragon, which had just perched on top of the great hall’s roof with a splintering of large glass windows and an avalanche of carved stone and tiles. The Dragon gave one look at the advance, and within seconds, all that remained of the soldiers lay piled in ashes and twisted metal in the courtyard. Then the Dragon, after grinding in the roof of the great hall like a kitchen maid kneads dough, turned and fixed its livid eyes on Julen.Author Bio - S.J. Aisling

Stacia Joy has always loved to tell stories and invent fictional lands and characters. But she never considered becoming a writer herself until age thirteen, when, inspired by a pretend play she invented with a friend, she wrote the first draft of Becoming the Chateran. The story has since expanded into what will become The Chateran Series. Stacia Joy also writes in several other genres, including steampunk and paranormal/science fiction, and occasionally writes poems about buffalo.

Wanting to be able to show others what her imagined universe looks like, Stacia Joy taught herself to draw by studying the work of illustrators like Alphonse Mucha, Arthur Rackham, Kate Seredy, and Jan Brett. She also received training in illustration and graphic design at Madison Area Technical College, and plans to become a full-fledged freelance illustrator before long.

When not immersed in writing or art, Stacia Joy spends her time playing the piano and folk harp, composing music, Irish dancing, singing at the top of her lungs, and learning new things. She also enjoys helping with children's ministry at her church, and currently resides in the Madison, Wisconsin area with a kitten named Lord Peter Whimsey.

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

A missing boy, government agents, an interdimensional portal... Mia has one goal for her senior year at Whispering Woods High-find her missing older brother. But when her science project reveals a portal into another dimension, she learns that travelers are moving in and out of her woods in the most alarming way and government agents Regulus and Arizona are policing their immigration. Mia's drawn to the mysterious, aloof Regulus, but it's no time for a crush. She needs to find out what they know about her brother, while the agents fight to save the world from viral contamination. But when Regulus reveals that he knows Mia's secrets, she begins to wonder if there's more going on than she thought...and if she was wrong to trust him…

All Mia ever wanted was to fit in at Whispering Woods High. But being a portal-finder who dates a guy from another dimension sort of makes it hard. Mia's brother disappeared over a year ago, and agents from the IIA began policing people's movements through dimensions. She'd trusted Dr. Bleeker from the local university when he'd told her the IIA were the bad guys. But even a girl with an extraordinary ability to sense things can make mistakes.

Now two people are dead, and as a portal gatekeeper for the IIA, Mia needs to find Dr. Bleeker before he hurts anyone else. And her boyfriend Regulus, an Agent for the IIA, carries secrets of his own. Between learning about weaponry, finding the perfect dress for the winter formal, and catching bad guys, who has time to fit in?

Senior year should bring fun, friends, and happiness. Not portals, treachery, and murder.Seventeen-year-old Mia Taylor, gatekeeper to an interdimensional portal, wants nothing more than to heal from her romance gone wrong. Illegally falling for her co-worker Regulus had been a huge mistake. But when Regulus goes rogue to hunt down a murderer, Mia must forget her broken heart and use her unique abilities to save him. Traveling across dimensions, she enters a strange and hostile world where a rebel faction holds the key to their escape. Her gift of synesthesia is in high demand, and a secret organization of the otherworldly kind has her in their sights. But sabotage and murder may be the least of her worries. Her ex-boyfriend wants a relationship. Her dad wants her to act normal. Her friends want her to stop moping. Who knew faking happy would be the easiest part of senior year?

“Austin, what in the heck are you doing here?” I looked through the screen door.

He grabbed the door handle. “You gonna ask me in?”

“Why bother? You usually just let yourself in.”

Austin clutched his chest, then grabbed the shaft of a make-believe arrow to remove it from his heart. He steadied himself dramatically before opening the door. “Emily sent me a text earlier saying that you didn’t show at school today and wouldn’t answer her chat. She was major textually frustrated.” He flung his head to the side to move his black hair out of his eyes.

“So?”

“You had pictures of the so-called ax murderers from the cam, remember? I was coming over here to go all Chuck Norris on them.”

“You crack me up,” I said glibly. “I told you that I wasn’t even worried about it.”

“You should be. You should be more careful. You had the front door open, and your alarm’s not even set, is it?” He pointedly looked at the unit on the wall beside the door.

“Mrs. Anderson just left,” I lied. It alarmed me that I was lying so easily when I considered myself a fairly honest person.

“So, you and Mrs. A just hangin’ out today?”

“No, I was sick.”

Austin pressed his hand to my forehead.

I backed away. “I might be contagious. Sicker than a dog all morning. You wouldn’t even want to go near the bathroom. Been in there for hours.” I was babbling, and I knew it. If Austin didn’t want to back off, telling him I’d been barfing this morning might just do it.

“OK, OK. I get the picture. No need for the details. I can hang around if you need me,” he said with no enthusiasm.

I gave a feeble laugh and shook my head. “I’ll be fine. I just need to get some sleep. And please text Em that I’m fine, and I’ll talk to you both later.”

“Sure.” He turned toward the door, pointed at me, and then to the security alarm keypad.

His college schedule left him way too much free time.

He stopped with his hand on the door. “Lock up behind me, all right? I know you aren’t worried about people near your house, but I am. And Em is.” He brushed his long dark bangs aside to make sure we were making eye contact.

Guilt’s heavy hand sat on my conscience. “Alarm on…the minute I shut the door,” I said. “My dad has nothing to worry about with you around.”

Austin left, pulling the door shut. I parted the blinds enough to see him jump into the Jeep and leave.

Exhaling in relief, I turned directly into Regulus’s chest. “Yikes! Don’t sneak up on me.” My voice was as high and squeaky as a five-year-old’s.

Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She has a BSE in English and French and a MEd in Learning Systems Technology. She's terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality. She doesn't mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she's not working the day job or writing a novel, she's guilty of surfing the internet for no good reason.

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

Spoiled, Versace-clad Cricket Montgomery has seventeen years of pampering under her belt. So when her father decides to ship her off to a summer camp for disabled teens to help her learn some accountability, Cricket resigns herself to three weeks of handicapped hell.

Her sentence takes a bearable turn as she discovers the humor and likeability of the campers and grows close to fellow counselors. Now, if she can just convince a certain Zac Efron look-alike with amazing blue eyes that she finally realizes there's life after Gucci, this summer could turn out to be the best she's ever had.

Summer on the Short Bus is a very non-P.C., contemporary YA with a lot of attitude, tons of laughs, and a little life lesson along the way.

"Crandell creates a wonderful and relatable protagonist with Cricket but even better than that, she surrounds her with equally relatable, flawed, and real characters...This book is an absolute winner!"

–Feathered Quill Book Reviews

“A novel oozing with heart and humanity.”

-Ken Baker, E! News correspondent and author of Fangirl and How I Got Skinny, Famous and Fell Madly in Love

“A hilarious and heartwarming ride.”

–Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, author of How My Summer Went Up in Flames and Famous Last Words

Author Bio - Bethany CrandellBethany lives in San Diego with her husband, two kiddos (one of whom is differently-abled), and a chocolate lab who has no regard for personal space. She believes that prayer solves problems and that Jake Ryan is going to show up at her door any minute now…. She is represented by Rachael Dugas of Talcott Notch Literary Services.

I would like to alert my readers that my opinions are my own and I am not being paid for my reviews. All books not bought are given to me freely and are accepted for an honest review. Receiving ARC's and/or free review copies in no way influences the opinions expressed in my reviews.